The present invention relates to the field of cooled laser mirrors and more particularly to coolant manifolds utilized therein.
Optimized performance of cooled laser mirrors depends upon the ability to minimize pressure induced and thermally induced distortions. Current coolant distribution manifold configurations provide a center of pressure that is offset with respect to the mirror mounting plane which is typically at the center of gravity of the mirror mounting device. This offset, in the direction of the mirror, causes a bowing distortion of the optical surface when the mirror is pressurized with coolant which is typically water.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a laser mirror mounting device having a coolant manifold configuration which eliminates the bending moments about the mounting plane to in turn eliminate the bowing of the mirror which would otherwise be produced by such bending moments.